Fun Little Bronze-cuckoo Facts For Kids

The little bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus) is the world's smallest cuckoo and its distribution is found in places such as northern and northeastern Australia, Singapore, New Guinea, and Thailand.

The features of this species and its subspecies Chrysococcyx minutillus rufomerus, Chrysococcyx minutillus barnardi, Crysococcyx minutillus russatus and Chrysococcyx minutillus crassirostris), include a bronze or greenish-brown plumage and white colored, barred underparts.

The males and the females of this species also have features that make it easy for us to distinguish between them.

This member of the family Cuculidae has a call that is typical and sounds like a 'cook-coo'. It is hardly a secret that they get their name from this beautiful and unique call. When not singing, you will probably see this species as they chase down prey.

The conservation status of the Gould's bronze-cuckoo (common name) is Least Concern and they are also residents of Singapore, so you may expect to see some of these birds if you happen to be in that part of the world.

For more relatable content, check out these common swift facts and canyon wren facts for kids.

Little Bronze-Cuckoo Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a little bronze-cuckoo?

The little bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus) with the subspecies Chrysococcyx minutillus rufomerus, Chrysococcyx minutillus russatus, and Chrysococcyx minutillus crassirostris is a bird. It is the smallest cuckoo in the world.

What class of animal does a little bronze-cuckoo belong to?

The class of animals that the little bronze-cuckoo is associated with is birds or Aves in scientific terms.

How many little bronze-cuckoos are there in the world?

We do not know the exact population size of the little bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus), however, we do know through the conservation species of this bird that their population is fairly stable and that these birds are unlikely to face the threat of extinction in the near future.

Where does a little bronze-cuckoo live?

The habitat of the little bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus) consists of subtropical or tropical moist lowland areas and coastal regions. They inhabit forests and shrublands and are usually seen in the dense top canopies of trees. You may even be lucky enough to see one or more of these birds in gardens or parks!

What is a little bronze-cuckoo's habitat?

The habitat range and population distribution of little bronze cuckoos ranges from places in Southeast Asia such as India, Bhutan, Indonesia, Singapore, and southern Thailand and as far as New Guinea and northern or northeastern Australia. The subspecies found in Australian regions is usually Chrysococcyx minutillus barnardi.

These birds migrate to warmer areas of northern Australia during the Asian winter months.

Who do little bronze-cuckoos live with?

Little is known about whether or not the little bronze cuckoo species (genus Chrysococcyx) prefers to live alone or in groups. However this species, like the others in the family Cuculidae, prefer to be in mated pairs.

It is not known whether such living habits stem from their aggressive behavior, but you will hardly see more than a couple of these birds together.

How long does a little bronze-cuckoo live?

While the average lifespan of the little bronze-cuckoo (genus Chrysococcyx) is not known, we do know that the family Cuculidae as a whole has an average lifespan of around 13 years.

How do they reproduce?

Little information is available regarding the little bronze-cuckoo mating habits. These birds are considered to be nest parasites based on the information gathered by ornithologists, which means that you will hardly ever see a little bronze-cuckoo egg in the nest that is built by the parent birds.

A little bronze-cuckoo female laying egg in the nest of some other bird is a common observation! Whether or not the parent birds take part in the incubation process is also unknown.

Interestingly though, during the courting period, the little bronze-cuckoo male and female show affection by an elaborate ritual of mutual feeding. The breeding season and how a little bronze-cuckoo raise young birds in northeastern Australia is unknown.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN, the conservation status of the little bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus, genus Chrysococcyx) is Least Concern. This means that the population of this bird is unlikely to face any rapid decline and the habitat is also pretty stable.

However, it is observed in certain other cuckoo birds that their breeding habits usually only produce one egg, meaning population size takes longer to grow and any climatic changes might make this species, or the family, as a whole vulnerable to extinction.

Little Bronze-Cuckoo Fun Facts

What do little bronze-cuckoos look like?

The identification of this species its quite simple. These birds have a green-brown or bronze colored plumage on the outer body.

The abdomen and underparts of the little bronze-cuckoo found in Australia is white and has dark colored bars. The male little bronze-cuckoo can be told apart from the female as they have a red colored eye-ring, as opposed to the female which has a yellow colored eye-ring.

The little bronze-cuckoo newborn has features similar to the females of the species. The species can also be seen to close their beaks when eating large, whole insects!

How cute are they?

These little bronze-cuckoos are impeccably cute creatures. Based on their small size and adorably patterned plumage, there is no doubt that the world's smallest cuckoo and its subspecies are definitely some of the cutest birds in the world.

How do they communicate?

The call of the little bronze-cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus) is quite soft and sound like a distinct 'cook-coo'. Ornithologists observe that when in a small group or in a mated pair, these birds and their subspecies like to constantly sing, probably in order to communicate and navigate.

How big is a little bronze-cuckoo?

The average length of a bird of the little bronze-cuckoo species is around 6 in (15 cm). A green heron is at least three times as large as birds of this species. An average little bronze-cuckoo bird's size is also twice as large as a hummingbird.

How fast can a little bronze-cuckoo fly?

The exact flight of this species or its subspecies (Chrysococcyx minutillus rufomerus and Chrysococcys minutillus crassirostris) is not known, however, any observer can vouch for the fact that these birds are very fast, so much so that they are even difficult to photograph.

How much does a little bronze-cuckoo weigh?

The average weight of a little bronze-cuckoo is around 0.6 oz (17 g). These birds can weigh twice as as a  strawberry finch and five times as much as a rufous hummingbird.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no distinct names for the male and female birds of this species or its subspecies. We can call them a male little bronze-cuckoo and a female little bronze-cuckoo.

A little bronze-cuckoo adult female can be distinguished from the male by its duller plumage and a yellow colored eye-ring. The male little bronze-cuckoo has a prominent red eye-ring.

What would you call a baby little bronze-cuckoo?

A little bronze-cuckoo baby is called a chick, just like other juveniles of the class Aves.

What do they eat?

The diet of this bird species consists mainly of insects that are already found in abundance in their natural habitat. The Gould's bronze-cuckoo (common name) feed on many types of insects and bugs that fly about freely in their areas of population distribution.

Are they dangerous?

There is no information that would suggest that this bird species, its subspecies, or the order of Cuculiformes as a whole are dangerous for humans. While it is common to see them catch an insect or two, no harm will be posed to you by them.

Would they make a good pet?

While they are not usually considered to be a species that is best for domestication, these birds could make a great, if not noisy, addition to your home. If given the right insect-based food, they will be happy members of your family.

However, they are wild animals that display aggressive behavior so it is best if we allow them to fly freely in their habitat.

Did you know...

The little bronze-cuckoo chick is born with features similar to its mother bird.

Identification of the two sexes of these small birds is easy due to the different coloration of their eye-rings!

It is hard to see a little bronze cuckoo while it is flying since it prefers to stay around the higher canopies of trees.

When it comes to the breeding habits of this bird of the genus Chrysococcyx, it is common to see a little bronze cuckoo laying egg in the nest of other bird species found in their areas of distribution.

The Chrysococcyx minutillus russatus is also known as Gould's bronze-cuckoo.

Are little bronze-cuckoos endangered?

The little bronze-cuckoo is not considered to be endangered, according to the IUCN Red List.

How did the little bronze-cuckoo get its name?

The little bronze-cuckoo has this name because of its bronze colored plumage and the very recognizable 'cook-coo' call that is typical of the order Cuculiformes.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our black cuckoo facts and Anna's hummingbird facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable cuckoo coloring pages.